


Lesson's from a President (Dear Dad)

by AnnaHeim



Category: DreamSMP, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Family Dynamics, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Moving On, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:15:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27655355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaHeim/pseuds/AnnaHeim
Summary: Fundy was one of the few people who was present during the operation of both precedencies of L'Manberg. His father had been narrow-minded (and insane), Jschlatt had been tyrannical (and also insane), and here Fundy stood bearing witness to induction of the newest, child President. However, as Fundy watched (New) L'Manberg's development under the Tubbo Administration, he had come to learn quite a bit about the responsibilities of being president. Responsibilities Fundy thinks not even his own father had been aware of.Fundy follows Tubbo through his journey as the President of a Crater.'Dear Dad, found you! First of all, I’m delighted to tell you that nothing has gone the way you planned.'(aka all of y'all want a Villain arc for Fundy not becoming president but what if I presented to you... *Character Development*)
Relationships: Floris | Fundy & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Floris | Fundy & Wilbur Soot, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit
Comments: 22
Kudos: 264





	1. The Dead (Rising)

It was a warm, pleasant evening as Fundy walked down the wooden path. Summer had just started to set in, marking almost six months since the destruction of Manberg, since the crater. Finding himself with an odd amount of free time on his hands, after spending the past few months working with the Cabinet to rebuild New L’manberg, Fundy had mustered the courage to walk through the Dream SMP’s land unarmed. Was the idea daring? Yes. Stupid? Most definitely. However, an unspoken state of peace had washed over the land as New L’manberg and it’s citizens stubbornly pieced back together, a ruined nation that should’ve been abandoned, being brought down to a supposed point of no return. 

So Fundy continued his walk, unfaltering. His pleasant stroll was a risky one, but he was optimistic.

He’d learned a lot about optimism during the past few months. 

Pathing towards the community house, he passed by the ruins of Tubbo’s old house, when a lit-up area behind Tubbo’s old tree farm caught Fundy’s eye. Straying from the wooden path in enemy (enemy?) territory seemed unnecessarily dangerous, but Fundy had come out this far, and after so long. So he decided, fuck it, what did he have to lose?

(A lot, he had gained so much to lose over the last few months. But he pushed that to the back of his mind)

Before him stood a large, stone brick… pedestal? Memorial? An open, ceilingless stone brick structure, with a map of the Dream SMP on the far wall, a black wall to the right.

And an exact replica of the Camarvan standing dead in the middle. 

The sight was eerie, the fur on the back of Fundy’s neck stood tall, and a shiver ran down his spine. He knew exactly who lived here, and as a realization struck him down that voice in the back of his head started screaming at him to run back ~~to~~ ~~New L’manberg~~ home.

So he did.

His dad was alive, his dad was _fucking_ alive. After all this time, he’d just been...around? Fundy could’ve sworn he saw Phil kill him during the chaos of the explosions. Had the dust blurred his vision? Had Phil faked it all?

Questions continued to flood his mind and he slowed his pace to a walk, crossing the borders of New L’manberg, blankly staring forward while moving on autopilot towards his home. As he walks further into New L’manberg he hears voices to his left growing louder, he gathers himself and looks towards the source, seeing Niki and Eret casually chatting with Tubbo under the moonlight. In front of a larger, rebuilt version of the L’manberg Camarvan that the three of them along with Quackity had repurposed as the nation’s main center of food distribution.

(It wasn’t identical to the original van, not like the one his dad had built in the Dream SMP. But that differentiation from the original subtly whisked away the bad memories surrounding that van. Memories of it being blown up by Dream, rebuilt, and then torn down again by Schlatt.

They called it the Camarvan Café, Fundy liked the name)

Tubbo caught sight of Fundy from his periphery and turned to look at him, and all of a sudden Fundy was very aware of his heavy breathing, which was most probably the reason for Tubbo’s sudden change of expression from calm to concerned upon looking over to Fundy. Fundy quickly made a half-wave, half-salute gesture towards Tubbo with an awkward grin, and a silent _“I’m all good, don’t worry”_ as he quickened his pace up the stairs towards his house. He didn’t miss the apprehension in Tubbo’s expression as he slowly turned back to his conversation. 

If Tubbo would ask him about it tomorrow, Fundy would maintain the defense that he was simply jumped by a hoard of zombies. Things were starting to calm down in New L’manberg, he didn’t want to give Tubbo something new to worry about, not just yet, Tubbo had worked too hard the past few months to deserve that.

Entering his house, Fundy made his way up to his bedroom, sitting at a table dimly lit by dying candlelight, and processed. He pondered on what the hell he was supposed to do in this situation because his _goddamned dad_ was suddenly back from the dead. 

If he’d found this out 5 months ago, he’d go straight for the jugular. Throttling himself straight to the top of his dad’s _stupid_ Camarvan and screaming out into the night, challenging his dad to step forward for a confrontation. Yelling and demanding just _why_ he had done the things he did. He would be angry, feral. He’d lost everything and had no sense of direction, he’d had nothing to lose. Just like Wilbur had. 

However, after six months since his father’s supposed death, Fundy simply looked out his window at the crater his dad had made, looked out at the city on stilts that stood above-said crater, brightly lit and bustling with life.

Fundy picked up a book and quill, and started writing.

_Dear Dad, found you! I’m going to be honest, I really didn’t expect to find you alive in a creepy remake of a destroyed landmark, but fate works in mysterious ways I suppose. But now, I have quite a few things to say to you._

_First of all, I’m delighted to tell you that nothing has gone the way you planned._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm pretty new to this side of AO3! I mostly made this story as sort of my own response to people on twitter wanting a Fundy Villain arc after not becoming president. Because while I myself aren't too big on fluff, why can't we all just be friends instead of have war after war, you know? Anyways, hope you guys enjoy the story!


	2. The Cabinet (Forming)

Rage had boiled through Fundy’s blood when Wilbur had given up his presidency— _twice_ might he add—and hadn’t even considered giving it to him, his own son. After months of working under Schlatt, playing the sleeper agent, taking long hours into the night to update his spy journal. All to prove himself to his father, that he could be responsible, independent, a courageous ruler for the new nation once Schlatt was taken down. Only to be set to a side after a brief family reunion before the Storm on Manberg. What stung, even more, was that it wasn’t even that Wilbur had simply forgotten about him after the chaos. He had watched as his dad gazed over the crowd, briefly making eye-contact with Fundy, regarding him for a second, and then giving up his presidency to Tubbo.

That had hurt, bad. And it sickened Fundy to this day the slight feeling of relief he felt when Manberg went up in a boom. The realization that though he hadn’t gotten to become President, neither had Tubbo really.

However, the emotional rollercoaster had continued when despite the crater that was once at least some semblance of a nation, instead of abandoning hope, everyone looked to _Tubbo,_ the _child_ president on what was to be done after the dust finally settled. Tubbo had briefly left to converse with Tommy, who was the first to be inducted into the new cabinet as Vice President just before shit had hit the fan.

Upon his return, Tubbo gathered together a group and began gathering his cabinet. 

_Your first mistake, I feel, was labeling Tubbo as a follower, consequently, I feel you subconsciously defined the idea of a follower as someone incapable of independent thought. However, despite all of this, I feel that even back then before you went bat-shit crazy, you had no idea who Tubbo actually was._

Fundy clearly remembered the induction of the previous two cabinets. As Wilbur had called upon Tommy, as his right-hand man, to be Vice President without hesitation. He remembered the four of them standing together on the Camarvan following the signing of the Decree of Independance. Wilbur turning to Tubbo and stopping, cogs visibly turning before carefully pronouncing him Secretary of State. Now, looking back, Fundy felt that Wilbur put Tubbo in that position out of the sheer feeling of obligation, not knowing the boy very well before the Revolution, but recognizing the quick work and sheer dedication into supplying them on such short notice. 

Fundy was never given a chance at the cabinet. Perhaps in the moment, an argument could be made that since Fundy was the ‘newest’ member of L’manberg, it was better to have him live a safe, civilian life. 

But then Thunder joined out of nowhere and got promoted to L’manberg Ambassador to Dream SMP on his first fucking day with Wilbur. Thunder then proceeded to never do anything in his job and vanished off the face of the earth, taking his title with him. 

Niki had joined, and while not officially in the Cabinet, she quickly became the nation’s main source of food, thus putting her at the table during most major conversations regarding the state of L’Manberg.

To get into the Soot Cabinet, it seemed all you had to do was not be Fundy.

During the Schlatt administration, the cabinet mainly consisted of the members of the Schlatt2020 and Swag2020 coalition. With Schlatt as President, Quackity as Vice President, and George as Co-Vice President. Fundy had managed to prove himself to Schlatt by redesigning the flag, and was elated to finally have his own title, ‘Viceroy Chairman’

But _somehow_ Tubbo had ended up in the mix as well. Somehow Schlatt had concluded that the person best suited for the empty spot of Secretary of State, was not someone who had also actively ran against the incumbent president, but instead the _exact same person_ who was filling the seat in the standing administration, who was heavily _in favor_ of the current president staying in office.

Fundy knew, of course, there was no rhyme or reason to ~~forcibly~~ inducting Tubbo into the new cabinet other than it simply being a cruel joke for Schlatt to play on Tommy following his exile. Breaking apart the ‘dynamic duo’, stealing Tommy’s right-hand man.

(Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Fundy had known that Schlatt had been playing dumb. That the only real reason he ever had a title was for Schlatt to get back at Wilbur.)

When Tubbo had been publicly executed during the festival, though traumatized, Fundy was also thrilled to be quickly promoted to Archbishop. He was excited to be able to _further_ prove himself. To show Schlatt exactly what he was capable of, what he could bring to Manberg as a nation. 

However, Schlatt didn’t entertain any of Fundy's ideas. Instead, Fundy’s job consisted of following the President around in full netherite armor and trying to keep him from getting himself killed. It wasn’t long until Fundy realized that the long titles Schlatt had given him, had given everyone in his cabinet, were all equally meaningless, because either way you ended up just being one of Schlatt’s lackeys.

To get into the Schlatt Cabinet, all you had to do was yell, because you’d end up doing jackshit either way.

So there Fundy stood, bearing witness to the formation of the new cabinet, formed by the boy who couldn’t seem to _get out_ of the cabinet. Fundy listened silently from behind the group as Tubbo started explaining his plan for reconstruction to Quackity and Phil, but zoned out when Karl started to explain his weird mental gymnastics justifying how he was on the rebellion’s side the entire time. 

However, Fundy was brought back to the present when Karl turned around and jokingly jabbed Fundy on the shoulder while facing the rest of the group.

“See guys! It’s the Cabinet and Fundy!”

And Fundy…

It had always been ‘And Fundy’.

Tubbo briefly regarded Karl’s comment with a tired eye roll, but upon meeting Fundy’s eyes, Fundy saw… something… flash through Tubbo’s expression. A knowing yet mischievous smirk played on his face, a look of determination sparked in his eyes.

There was no hesitation in his voice when Tubbo spoke.

“Fundy, I want you to be the Foreman.”

He wanted… Fundy was gonna… what?

“Okay, I’m gonna ask you a question but you have to promise to not demote me.”

“Okay?”

“What does Foreman mean?”

“A person who’s in charge of the ongoings, keeping everything running smoothly.”

What?

That was a title.

A Cabinet Title.

A Cabinet Title with a job description that made sense.

Tubbo had looked at Fundy and knew exactly what he wanted Fundy to do, to be in charge of.

While Fundy took in the gravity of the brief exchange, Tubbo began a trek through the ruins of Manberg, and though there was a bereavement in his eyes there was purpose in his steps. His cabinet started to move with him as Fundy stayed still. 

Fundy remember’s following behind Wilbur, simply because he had to. There was no leeway for him to try and forge his own path, a path outside of ‘The President’s Son”.

Fundy remember’s following behind Schlatt, because if he didn’t, he risked losing what little status he had. Under Schlatt’s Administration, it was (quite literally) kill or be killed.

But Fundy watched as Tubbo walked and his Cabinet followed without question, but also without compulsion. Tubbo hadn’t asked them to follow, but his Cabinet believed in his lead, so they followed nonetheless.

Fundy thought back to Tubbo’s statement just minutes after Manberg became a crater,

A cheerful, “I’ve had nothing before!”

For the first time in his life, Fundy had a choice.

So he chose to follow.

_What you didn’t realize, dad, was that Tubbo would follow because he didn’t see any need for himself to lead. What you didn’t realize, is when Tubbo has a goal, he’ll stock an armory overnight, he’ll rip open a jungle, he’ll build a city on water, and he’ll punch a fucking hole in the roof of the Nether if he has to. What you didn’t realize through your theatrics of passing down your power before blowing L’Manberg sky high, is that you passed power down to the one boy who’s the living embodiment of an unstoppable force._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fact that the new cabinet is so slept on and that there is no fanart of them upsets me greatly. My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined. #TubboAdministrationCabinetFanartOrRiot


	3. The Scars (Healing)

_Another fact about Tubbo that may have slipped past you in your rush to blow up Manberg, is that somehow, despite his varying personalities, he is the most mentally stable, emotionally stable, and rational president you could have chosen._

Fundy was being annoying, aggravating, and downright insufferable. He knew he was. He was in a state of both hating and mourning his father, and he was taking it out on Tubbo. The cabinet had agreed to come together the following day and start work on resculpting the crater and rebuilding ‘New L’manberg’. However, all Fundy was doing was sitting around, criticizing Tubbo’s designs, attempting to establish some sort of dominance through cabinet seating arrangement, and all in all being a complete nuisance. It was the day after all hell broke loose and Tubbo had started to resculpt the crater. He had to hand it to Tubbo, within an hour with no help from Fundy whatsoever, Tubbo had already contained the water spilling into the crater from the lake. The kid worked with haste and diligence. 

(He also worked alone, the other cabinet members had been a no show, Karl was nowhere to be found, Quackity was running late, and Phil had gone off with Tommy somewhere. However, if this disappointed or upset Tubbo, he didn’t show it. He instead took the large workload in stride and focused on the task.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Fundy felt guilty for just adding on to Tubbo’s plate.)

However, at the time, through his grief and anger, Fundy knew one thing. Everything had gone from great to complete shit, there was a crater in L’Manberg, and there was only one ~~living~~ person to blame.

Technoblade.

And while Fundy wasn’t going to say anything about it, suddenly Quackity showed up and started talking about hanging pigs and becoming butchers and creating propaganda and there was already a raging fire deep in Fundy’s soul and Quackity was just adding fuel to that fire. Then they were talking about amassing poison potatoes and mentally scarring Technoblade and raiding his base and Fundy was only getting more and more excited.

Tubbo was staying silent, however credit where credit was due, he was also listening. Throughout Quackity and Fundy’s senseless strategizing, Tubbo kept picking up his gaze from his work to look over at them as they talked, to show his attention to the conversation. He kept subtly pressing the idea of peace and healing into the conversation without accidentally further aggravating the two of them in the process. 

Fundy remembers expressing his ideas to Schlatt, only to turn around seeing Schlatt with his head in his hands. Claiming a migraine caused by Fundy’s yapping.

~~Fundy remembers expressing his ideas to the back of a tall, looming figure with a mop of brown hair. Not once being regarded.~~

That day’s building session ended deep into the night. At some point, Quackity and Fundy had started building their own houses while continuing to talk on the matter while Tubbo maintained a focus on the crater. As the three of them regrouped and were readying themselves to head back to their abodes, Tubbo choosing to take refuge in the one finished house on the docks which remained untouched, Quackity and Fundy tried to reassure Tubbo that no action would be taken without his final word, while also very unsubtly pressuring Tubbo to give his final word. Tubbo humorously brushed off the pair’s solicits for a war on the Blade.

It wasn’t until Tubbo started on his way to the docks when Quackity and Fundy started planning a hypothetical raid of Technoblade’s base if they were to get Tubbo’s final word.

It was to that conversation Tubbo whirled around at a speed that alarmed the both of them. Despite his short stature, Tubbo met both of them with a deep, serious gaze and a stern expression.

With a rigid yet level voice, Tubbo simply stated, “No.”

Fundy had heard Wilbur furiously yell at Tommy when the former Vice President would step out of line with him. Fundy had heard Schlatt scream at… everybody… just because one person had pissed him off that day.

But when it came to scaring Fundy (and if you asked him, probably also Quackity), the singular strict yet composed word spoken by a sixteen-year-old boy took the cake.

It was like being told off by your favorite teacher. Because yes they’re upset with you, but there’s a layer of disappointment as well. There’s something about them that endears you to _want_ to do right by them. Paired with the fact that when they’re telling you off, you can _feel_ it in their tone that they don’t _want_ to pull the authority card on you, but they _have_ to, and that’s on you.

The statement had silenced Quackity, who looking back at the crater behind him, knew that though they were talking big, they had no real grounds to start planning another skirmish. 

But Fundy was at an emotional peak, and if he had been a bother the entire day, there's no way he was losing his streak.

“Why?!” He shot back, heated.

Tubbo maintained eye contact, the fact that his eyes stayed rigid and gained no heat from Fundy’s outburst didn’t sit right with him.

“What do you stand to gain from raiding his base?” 

“What _don’t_ we stand to gain?! We take all his resources, we gain the upper hand!”

“And you’ve cast the first stone. Then the ball will be in _his_ court. He’ll disappear off the face of the planet and come back stronger than ever. The man is a walking _nuke._ He’ll end up _massacring_ us, and I am not losing ANYONE Fundy! Not Again!”

Though Tubbo had barely even reached shouting volume, his gaze never once wavered, never once gained the feral hostility Wilbur’s and Schlatt’s had when they were angry. Yet Fundy watched as Tubbo closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and regarded him once again.

“I’m sorry, Fundy. But L’manberg needs time to heal, time to regain itself. And I won't be able to do that if I’m in a constant state of concern, worried about walking past one of your bodies. There’s _so much_ to do, I can’t prepare for another incoming war.”

Fundy began to simmer down, but still had to ask. “And what if he attacks _us_ first.”

“If we stay unified as a collective, and don’t provoke him first, he won’t. He has no reason to.”

“But he’s an anarchist right? What if he just shows up and decides to destroy L’Manberg again.”

Though really, Fundy knew. Techno’s attack on L’Manberg was justified from his personal alignment. According to Techno, they had overthrown a government and decided to reform their own government. 

Techno’s war had been on the people.

Techno wasn’t the one who ~~blew up~~ destroyed L’Manberg.

At his question, Tubbo just gave him a sad smile, and slowly gestured at the crater where L’Manberg once stood.

“Fundy, what’s left to destroy?”

  
_I supposed the reason he’s that way could be because of Tommy. Your family is the emotional type anyway. With Tommy jumping headfirst into trouble, I guess Tubbo became the one who had to talk him down when the odds were clearly stacked against them. He had to become the calm to Tommy’s chaos in order to balance them out. In order to stay alive. Tubbo doesn’t like_ _the power you’ve given him, Dad. He doesn’t like the idea of being above anyone else. But he will do anything for the people he cares about, and if that’s enforcing the rules with his newfound power, then that’s what he’s gonna do._


	4. The Betrayed (Forgiving)

_It’s obvious that a lot of people, yourself included I’m sure, see Tubbo as the naive type. The type to take everything at face value, easily manipulated and taken advantage of. First off, you’re the one who made him your inside man (and you_ **_still_ ** _blew him up, Notch, what’s wrong with you), and I’ll have you know I had no goddamn clue until the festival. I learned a lot about him not too long before the war, when he discussed the traitor theories he and Quackity had come up with. See, Tubbo likes to put his best foot forward with everyone, but you can bet your bottom dollar that he remembers every crime you’ve ever committed, and against who. Then when it’s time to suss out the mole of the group, he’ll have all his proofs ready to present._

Sapnap was talking to Karl and Tommy on Party Island.

Why the _fuck_ was Sapnap on Party Island. 

Fundy stared at the sight in awe and disgust from his newly built house. Not even two months had passed since the crater, and there _Sapnap_ of all people was just… _casually talking to Karl and TOMMY_.

Fundy marched out of his house and down onto the stilted platform over the crater (proving surprisingly sturdy under the heavy _thumps_ of his boots) and saw Tubbo adding some more touches to the new podium, fitted with seats for all the cabinet members now. He was adding decorations while facing the general direction of Party Island, so there was no way he had simply _missed_ the interaction entirely.

This was happening on _his_ watch.

“Tubbo!” Fundy shouted,

Tubbo turned and grinned at the sight of Fundy’s arrival, 

(Fundy hated how he did that, he always did that, made him feel just as wanted and appreciated as everyone else. Fundy was trying to be mad, damn it! Stop making it so hard!)

“Good Morning Mister Foreman! How are you?”

Fundy ignored the question, “Yeah! Hey! Hi! Question for you!” 

Fundy then proceeded to take him by the forearm and usher him to the edge of the platform, the both of them now fully overlooking what was taking place on Party Island. He violently gestured at the sight with an open hand and turned to Tubbo, “What the fuck?!”

Tubbo looked over at the three standing on the Island, “Right, Sapnap is supplying wool for Karl’s future endeavors as Creative Head Director, Tommy’s just bearing witness to the trade and recording it and whatnot.”

Tubbo seemed content enough with that answer as he turned his attention back to decorating the podium, Fundy just looked back and forth between Party Island and Tubbo to see if he had missed anything, but no, while there were chests on the island most probably full of wool, the three were just... talking down there. Like _nothing_ had happened, like Tommy and Fundy hadn’t been in _three different wars_ with Sapnap. 

Fundy turned back to Tubbo, “They seem to be getting awfully friendly for this to just be over a trade agreement.”

“What’s wrong with being friendly?”

“What’s wrong—” Fundy sputtered, enraged, “What’s _WRONG_ with BEING _FRIENDLY_ !? What _ISN’T_ WRONG WITH BEING FRIENDLY?!”

“We’ve achieved a peacetime for once Fundy, and Sapnap is more than willing to mend fences with us.”

“Or he’s more than _willing_ to take _advantage_ of us _._ ”

“Niki’s forgiven him over the Pet War, you’ve had your duel with him, even Tommy made up with him. Mars was released back into the ocean as a sign of good faith. Sapnap stated his wishes of becoming allies following the Manberg War, and if he was ready to give up his prized fish just to prove that, I’m ready to give him a chance.”

“How do you know he won’t just be an inside man for Dream?”

Tubbo looked Fundy in the eye, “Sapnap is more than just one of Dream’s lackeys.”

Fundy maintained eye contact, silenced but still visibly pissed off. 

With a sigh, Tubbo gave up on trying to multitask between decorating and calming Fundy down, putting down his materials and returning to Fundy’s side at the edge of the platform. He looked out on the landscape ahead, their growing city standing over the crater, Eret’s ~~penis~~ obsidian tower overlooking the destruction, the floating tunnel leading towards the embassy. He looked out not only onto L’manberg, but onto the SMP as a whole. Tubbo didn’t meet Fundy’s questioning gaze as he spoke.

“I’d like to think people can be more than their titles, whether official or unofficial.”

Tubbo moved to sit on the platform, and gestured for Fundy to do the same. He leaned back on his arms, dangling his feet off the edge of the platform over the rocky depths below.

“Do you know what it was like before… all of this…” Tubbo waved vaguely over the expanse of L’manberg’s land.

Fundy did… sort of… kind of… not really. The people he spoke to the most had either joined after the creation of L’manberg, or just before the First Revolution. He’d never been as close to Tommy and Tubbo under Wilbur’s administration, and Tubbo seemed much too preoccupied to idly converse when they were both under Schlatt.

(Looking back on it now, Fundy could easily guess why)

So all in all Fundy didn’t really know much about what the land was like before L’Manberg.

(Before Wilbur)

“When I first got here, it was me and Tommy; Ponk, Punz, and Alyssa; Dream, George… and Sapnap.” —Tubbo chuckled a bit, wearing a wistful grin— "You know the first quote-unquote ‘conflict’, the ‘Disc War’, it started off because Tommy and Sapnap teamed up together.”

Fundy didn’t know this, he remained silent.

“Ponk screwed with Sapnap’s house, Sapnap burned down Ponk’s tree, then Tommy joined up with Sapnap to prevent any further retaliation from Ponk. When Dream got involved, Sapnap and Tommy dived in on him just for the fun of it, that’s why Dream took the discs in the first place, to teach Tommy the repercussions of his actions.

“Then there was the time he helped me for weeks setting up a trading system with the nearby village, we’d work hours into the night together. He helped me build the trade room, I made a tunnel between my home and his, he even started working with me to build an iron farm! And when we’d take breaks from work, we’d have MLG Water contests while blasting music so loud I’m sure the Piglins in the Nether could hear!” 

Tubbo’s voice had heightened in the excitement of reliving the memories, and Fundy couldn’t help but get soaked in by the story. Though the excitement in Tubbo’s eyes was quick to die, mellowing into a soft, nostalgic gaze onto the land ahead.

“Dream was pissed when he found out what we had been doing, he didn’t like the idea that we’d be able to abuse a system to gear up quicker. I tried to explain to him that a system where we’d be able to arm ourselves quickly would allow us to instead redirect our energy into more creative endeavors, to make the SMP a more bright and beautiful place… I didn’t win the argument, obviously, but Sapnap was on my side until the bitter end.”

Fundy… understood more, no doubt. But still, he was hesitant.

“But you can never be one-hundred percent sure he won’t betray us if you let him back into your circle…”

“Of course not, but the thing is, it doesn’t make any logical sense for Dream SMP to blow up L’Manberg. Under Wilbur sure, it was restricted access, a land behind closed walls, that's what Dream hated in the first place. What Dream didn’t realize is that L’Manberg was never a place… but a people. I mean—he had this place blown up to Kingdom Come, and not only have we been able to rebuild it, twice, but we’ve also gained more members than we’d ever had before! Despite the power Dream wields! I think that’s why Dream hasn’t shown his face since Wilbur, because he realized no matter how much he tries to get rid of L’Manberg, there's always going to be at least one person who’ll try to rebuild it.”

It made sense, fuck, Fundy hated how much it made sense. But the guttural anger he felt looking at Sapnap, as much as he was trying to repress it, just wouldn’t back down.

“In the end, we’ve easily proven that all that we’ve built, this... _New_ L’manberg” —Tubbo gestured around to the platform they sat on— “it’s all just… things, material that can be easily rebuilt and replace. People can’t be replaced. So I’d rather risk having to rebuild the little progress we’ve made so far by myself, than miss out on the chance to make up with a dearly missed friend.”

“But... all those stories you told, of you and Sapnap, isn’t that just all the more reason to hate him? He was your friend! But when the chips were all down he chose Dream over you!”

Tubbo just turned to face him, eyes lowered for a moment before meeting Fundy’s, a sad smile played on his face. 

“Fundy, if I held a grudge against everyone who’d ever wronged me, I wouldn’t have any friends to begin with.”

That depressing thought floored Fundy, as he looked back on the events he’d witnessed on the SMP. 

He remembered watching Tubbo singing through the night while rebuilding with Quackity, and a claustrophobic yellow box.

He remembered watching Tubbo hang out with Eret and Niki as they set up their new farm, and a black storage room full of empty chests.

He remembered watching Tubbo and Tommy walking together through New L’manberg, and passing by a large wooden house left in ruins, empty beehives standing on the lawn.

He remembered Tubbo giving a noble speech at Wilbur’s memorial, and a land reclaimed but never given another chance.

He remembered Tubbo in an empty jungle base, with a room for a friend that never bothered to stay.

Fundy was pulled out of his thoughts as Tubbo moved to stand up once again, seemingly content with the silence the conversation had fallen into. He started to move towards the White House, Fundy would have to help out with improving it’s interior at some point that day. 

As Tubbo started on his way, he turned back to Fundy with one final remark.

“The thing is, Fundy, it takes a lot of energy to hold grudges, and I have a lot of work to do. So for me right now, I’m ready for a new start. Water under the bridge and all that.”

Fundy turned his gaze back out onto the SMP, pondering the history of it before his arrival into this world. He supposed there was still a lot he didn’t know. 

He sees how Sapnap notices Tubbo crossed the platforms above him, and how his expression morphs into an excited grin, he watches as Sapnap shouts out to Tubbo.

“Tubbo! I bet I could still school you in an MLG Water contest! Wanna prove me wrong?!”

To his side, Fundy hears Tubbo laugh.

“We draw buckets at noon, Cracknap! I’ll get my discs!”

There was a wild cackle, “Bet!”

And sure enough, later that day, with the sun high in the sky as Fundy finished his report on Phil’s progress of New L’manberg’s repairs, he heard hoots and whoops coming from the bridge connecting L’manberg and it’s embassy, hard rock music blasting into the sky. He watched Tubbo and Sapnap jump at the same time, and land together in unison, proceeding to jump on and tackle each other in victory. As Sapnap proceeded to do his own little victory dance, he spun around and locked eyes with Fundy, causing him to shyly slow his small celebration down to a stop. Fundy watched as Sapnap gave him a bashful smile and a hesitant half wave, seeming almost nervous for Fundy’s response.

Fundy regarded him for a few seconds, before returning a curt nod matched with his own two-fingered salute. Before heading towards where Niki was planning to start a restaurant with Quackity. 

Fundy supposed that holding a grudge _was_ quite a draining task. Besides, the President was taking a much-needed break for once, and Fundy had a job to do.

_The thing about Tubbo is that despite what you may think, he’ll remember everything you’ve done, good and bad. However, he silently acknowledges the bad and then_ _chooses_ _to focus on the good. He looks at you and he sees the best side of you. He’ll look at you and you’ll_ _want_ _to be the person he sees. It’s infectious, the underlying need to make sure you don’t do wrong by him. You’d have to be insane to want to inflict further hardship on someone so willing to destroy any remnant of his pride for the sake of everyone else._

_Then again, I guess you were._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sad flashbacks to the hay days of Tommy and Tubbo on the SMP are sad. Also missing the Sapnap-Tubbo chaos dynamic, give it back to me please and thank you.


	5. The Drained (Collapsing)

_The worst part about all of this is that despite Tubbo seamlessly portraying the model President, a man of the people, a boy with a heart of gold, he can just be so painfully human. He exhibits that textbook stubbornness seen in almost all leaders, the need to do a majority of domestic tasks himself. However, unlike you and Schlatt, it's not because he doesn’t trust anyone else to get the job done, it’s that he doesn’t want to overburden people in such a trying time. So he takes the burden himself, and almost kills himself trying to keep the world steady on his shoulders._

Tubbo had been awake for 5 days and 11 hours.

Fundy had been keeping count.

Three months after the crater, New L’manberg was finally settling into a state of stability, the crater had been resculpted with an artistic level of detail, basic housing had been set up for all citizens who had chosen to call New L’Manberg home, and food output was steady with the opening of the Camarvan Café, the project headed by Niki and Quackity, with Eret assisting in food distribution to the general population.

It wasn’t obvious to the layman within the city, as Tubbo walked through the city with purpose, greeting everyone he came across, helping the average person anyway he could. However, within the White House, it was clear the Tubbo was starting to get anxious.

Stability meant peace, but through the last two administrations, peace had become a placeholder word for ‘the calm before the storm’.

Tubbo began working on projects that would help serve in last resort scenarios. He had begun digging into the mountain where the First White House was built, starting to build bunkers big enough for all New L’Manberg citizens to retreat to when if they got thrown into another war. He dug down into the earth and planted an underground emergency farm, he even made a room for last-minute armor and artillery.

(If the design of the bunker started to form an eerie resemblance to Pogtopia, Fundy didn’t mention it.)

Tubbo had also come up with an idea to offer a trade agreement to the Dream SMP, with the newly pronounced ‘King George’, he deliberated that if he were to start off on the right foot with the new ruler, and create a trade agreement that was beneficial for both nations, the Dream SMP would be less likely to wage war with little justification, in fear of breaking the trade agreement in the process.

After a Cabinet meeting (sans Tommy as per usual), Tubbo had pulled Fundy aside to explain how he’d need to keep a tighter grip over the ongoings of New L’Manberg while Tubbo went away for a week or two, to try and sort out some agreement over the Guardian Farm with Sam and the Badlands.

That’s how Fundy suddenly ended up in the middle of a shouting match between two sixteen-year-old boys.

Tommy had walked into the White House seeking out Tubbo as he and Fundy discussed, overhearing Tubbo’s plans to leave, surprised that he had heard nothing of the plan.

“What? So you plan to just up and leave?!”

“I’m not leaving Tommy! It’s a… foreign relations matter? Sam’s been working on the Guardian Farm while I’ve been here, I’ll go help him finish it up and it’ll be smooth sailing from there!”

“You don’t _know_ if he’s even made enough progress, it could be months before you come back! I still have unfinished business Tubbo, and I can’t follow through with it without your help! And I can’t possibly tend to L’Manberg while trying to get my shit done!”

“I know! I know that! It’s why I’m leaving Quackity in charge, I trust he’ll be able to keep things running just as smoothly!”

“What, so you don’t think I can be trusted to take charge now!?”

“No! I didn’t say that! When did I say that?! I wouldn’t have made you my Vice President if I thought that!”

“Or you knew I wouldn’t be able to focus on L’Manberg _because_ of my unfinished business! So you’d have a reason to get away from me! This whole time you’ve been so focused on this— this _curse_ of a country! Build this! Report That! How do I even know you’ll have my back when the time comes!? How do I even know YOU’LL BE ON MY SIDE!?”

“I’M DOING THIS FOR YOU!” 

It was the first time Fundy had heard Tubbo yell since he took up the presidency, he was visibly shaking, greedily heaving his breaths in and out, eyes wide and desperate.

“THIS IS ALL FOR YOU! FOR EVERYONE! So that everyone who lives here is safe! So that you don’t have to live so close to enemy territory! So you can live HERE and not worry about the next time we’re going to be blown to smithereens! The old Wilbur wanted L’Manberg to be a place of safety and sanctuary, and I’ll be damned if I don’t carry through with that! If I go through with this I can practically guarantee New L’Manberg a safe-haven! I’m trying to protect us all! I’M TRYING TO PROTECT YOU!”

Tommy just glared at Tubbo, eyes sparking with a feral glint at the mention of Wilbur, a glint that was all too familiar to Fundy, a glint that sent shivers up his spine. Tommy looked over Tubbo again briefly, before backing down and moving to turn away, but not without the last word.

“If you really wanted to protect me you wouldn’t be fucking off over 800 chunks away.”

Tommy made his leave, and Tubbo proceeded to crumple back down in his meeting room chair. Burying his head in his hands as he attempted to regain control of his breathing. That sight alone had Fundy whirling around ready to give Tommy a piece of his mind, but as he started towards the White House entrance, he saw Phil through the frame of the doorway, presumably not having gone far when the argument started, and hearing everything.

Phil raised a halting hand towards Fundy, motioning that he’d take care of Tommy.

He silently mouthed, _stay with him._

So Fundy turned back around to the meeting table, tentatively moving to take Phil’s seat, sitting directly across from Tubbo. They sat in silence for a few minutes, before Tubbo raised his head from his hands and opted to instead glare up as if the ceiling had just insulted his mother, keeping his head in an upward tilt for a long moment, forcing unshed tears to yield.

Fundy decided to break the silence, 

“You know that everyone else is in full support of you, right? You’ve done a fantastic job as President, Tubbo, if you’re taking a leave of absence to only further ensure New L’Manberg’s safety, everyone will understand!”

Tubbo only gave a tired exhale to assure Fundy that he had heard him, his eyes screamed exhaustion as he stared not directly at Fundy, but out into the empty space in front of him.

Tubbo’s voice came out weak and raspy, “I just— I just don’t know how… how after _everything_ we’ve been through, how _he_ doesn’t understand”—Tubbo took in a shaky breath— "that everything I’m doing, everything I’ve _ever_ done was to make sure he’d be safe.”

And suddenly Fundy wondered exactly how long Tommy and Tubbo had been in the SMP before Wilbur came around. How long they’d been together _before_ they got to the SMP. Fundy had assumed that after all the shit his dad had pulled, Tommy and Tubbo would be closer than ever. Tommy had to have hated Wilbur! He’d betrayed Tommy! At least Tubbo had been by his side since the very beginning. 

It was at that moment that Fundy remembered that despite Tommy’s age, biologically, Tommy was his uncle.

It was in that moment Fundy wondered if he’d not been the only one mourning Wilbur this whole time.

Tubbo had said it himself, L’Manberg was first built by ‘the old Wilbur’. The Wilbur that Tommy had probably known his whole life.

Fundy wasn’t alive when L’Manberg was first established, he was born within its walls after all. Yet his dad had built L’Manberg as a safe haven, a land within which he’d have the power to protect.

(Fundy now had an idea of who he had been trying to protect,

And for Wilbur to be the one in the end to pull the trigger, when Tommy had finally gotten his safe haven back...

That was fucked up)

“Dad and Techno really screwed up his brain, huh.”

Tubbo shot a gutting glare at Fundy, “He’s nothing like his brothers!”

Fundy raised his arms up non threateningly, “I know! I know, it’s just… what he’s saying is wrong, obviously, but I get why he’s so on edge.”

Tubbo sighed, “I know… It’s not his fault. It just gets hard sometimes, you know?”

Fundy remembers watching Tommy and Tubbo at each other's side as if they were attached to the hip before the election. Nowadays, however, it'd be a miracle if the two were able to sit down for a proper meal without one of them leaving midway through to attend to personal matters.

(Phil was trying his best, but he could only do so much.)

Tubbo hadn’t shown any sign of weakness while governing without his best friend by his side, but the mental taxation of going so long, under so much stress, without the support of one of the people he cared about the most was bleeding through him as he sat with a drained expression and void eyes in the White House.

Fundy stood up from his seat and moved across the table to instead sit beside Tubbo, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, Fundy spoke with concern in his voice.

“You should really get some sleep.”

“I can’t, there’s too much to do.”

“We’ll take care of it Tubbo! You know we have your back.”

“It’ll be too much work, you guys already have your everyday duties.”

“And so do you! But you’re still taking on the workload, there isn’t any project you can name that is more easily done by one person than it would be by five.” Fundy grinned as and met Tubbo’s eyes, “You have a whole Cabinet at your disposal, Mr. President, about time we all started working on something together, don’t you think, Big Man?”

A small smirk played on Tubbo’s face at the familiar nickname, he sighed, “I suppose you’re right.”

“Take a few days off, get some rest, let Tommy cool down. Maybe hold off on the whole Guardian Farm venture until you _don’t_ look dead on your feet.”

The idea made Tubbo break the eye contact, his face scrunch back up in worry, “But what if I run out of time.”

Fundy hesitated,

“Then we’ll make more time. Together, like we always do.”

With that, Tubbo closed his eyes in defeat, taking Fundy’s word for it. He gave a tired nod, and Fundy started to lead him up to his room in the White House. Tubbo worryingly passed out the moment he hit the bed, dead to the world. 

(Fundy would have to figure out how to get some food in the kid at some point so he didn’t starve in his sleep.)

Fundy decided to busy himself with paperwork back down in the Cabinet meeting room, opting to postpone his survey of New L’Manberg’s progress for the next day. Standing guard to make sure no one got into the President’s room.

And to make sure no one got out.

Fundy was more than content with his work when Tubbo ended up sleeping through the day and waking up at noon the following day. He’d been half-heartedly reprimanded by Tubbo for allowing him to sleep for that long, but Tubbo was finally looking reenergized and determined as ever, so Fundy was happy.

And Fundy’s heart warmed when he saw two figures sitting side by side on the docks at sunset, joking and laughing into the night.

Tubbo ended up leaving for the Guardian Farm at the end of the week, construction of the farm was finished two weeks later. Quackity was called over by Tubbo to be at his side as ~~Sexyterry~~ Secretary of State to oversee the ownership agreement of the Joint Ownership Contract over the farm with the Badlands. From there, they’d go straight to the Dream SMP to meet with King George and form a trade agreement for Prismarine Shards and Crystals.

Tommy was happy to step up, and oversaw L’Manberg in both of their absences. He also oversaw the preparation and execution of Tubbo and Quackity’s ‘Welcome Home’ party as they returned a month later. The party not only celebrated successfully establishing the agreement with the neighboring SMP, but it also marked the start of the fourth month since the crater. The economic boom that followed the trade agreement’s success funded further development of New L’Manberg landmarks, decoration, and infrastructure.

For once, watching the nation’s booming was a beautiful sight.

_Each administration has its strengths and weaknesses. Within Tubbo’s it’s that he can’t be left unchecked for too long, lest he drives himself into the ground to get work done. But the Cabinet acknowledges this. We play to our strengths and tend to our weaknesses. After blowing up L’Manberg, you probably thought Tubbo would end up the President of a Crater, but he’s become the President of a Renaissance. And with the largest official Cabinet in presidential history, Tubbo has more than enough people in his corner ready and willing to pick him up when he stumbles. Thankfully, Tubbo realizes this as well._

_Perhaps if we had worked a bit quicker, you’d have realized you had people in your corner too._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two of the SBI kids are already pretty much insane, Phil and Tubbo are just trying their best that there isn't a third. But heavy is the head that wears the crown, thankfully Fundy has Tubbo's back. :)


	6. The Renaissance (Thriving)

_ You were right, in a way, about me, I still have a lot to grow, a lot to learn. The problem is that you never gave me the chance to take on responsibility and learn from it. Under Schlatt, sure I was given the chance to actually do shit, but never anything of any meaningful value. Nothing to grow from. Under Tubbo, I have responsibilities, I have people who depend on me, and I have people who I depend on. I do want to become President one day, Dad. But I’m glad I’ve gotten this opportunity before ever taking office. I still have a lot I want to work on before I ever think about running for Presidency again. _

_ I want to work on being a better listener. _

Throughout the fifth month since the crater, Fundy tried his best to keep at Tubbo’s side. The economic boom meant more work was being done which meant more reports were being written. He wanted as much detailed insight from Tubbo as possible before responding to any requests and suggestions from the citizens.

“The forest between New L’Manberg and Pogtopia is still unlit and dangerous, Purpled lives closest to the border between L’Manberg and the forest, he was offering to take on a project to create a system of potion mass-production. No harmful potions, of course, but his problem is limited resources.”

Tubbo wanted his insight just the same

“It’s a good idea, I say it’s definitely a project we should start, a hospital of sorts. A place stocked with gold apples and potions would also come in handy if we’re ever thrown back into war. But the resources are going to be an issue, any ideas?”

Fundy was a bit startled at the sudden request for his own input, but he got thinking.

“What if we started work on a Nether base? We could punch a hole in the nether roof next to L’Manberg’s Nether portal, look for a nearby Nether Fortress, and build a base on the roof above it. Make a Nether Wart and Blaze farm, maybe even a gold farm for glistering melons?”

“Brilliant idea! I’ll take that up with Phil, see the logistics on a project like that. If everything pans out, you want to help out with the design?”

“It’d be my honor.”

_ I want to learn how to properly establish and work with a Cabinet. _

It was the first New L’Manberg Diplomatic Conference, with the new trade agreement in place, Tubbo had decided it would be smart to have a diplomatic meeting three times a year to allow the nations to stay at peace. The location of the meeting cycling within the three different nation’s borders, the main participants being the domestic nation’s cabinet and the newly appointed ambassadors. The first meeting was held in New L’Manberg with the New L’Manberg Cabinet.

Captain Puffy had been inducted into the New L’Manberg Cabinet as the Ambassador to Dream SMP, and HBomb had been given official status as Dream SMP’s Ambassador to L’Manberg, and Sam had sort of just made himself Badlands’ Ambassador to L’Manberg, since Tubbo and Fundy were the only other people in the land with a true passion for redstone and it’d give him a reason to meet the both of them.

It was a smart group of Ambassadors, none of them had played a large role within the past three wars, so there was little room for bias and heated argument between the three of them.

HBomb was going down his list, reading the Dream SMP matters found significant enough to bring to the table, “Also, Punz will be reutilizing the VAPE Tower as a base to sell the goods from his Bee Farm, Sam, I know you and Badlands have an interest in honey blocks so that’d be usefu—”

Tommy abruptly stood up from his seat, slamming his hands on the table, “He’s gonna FUCKING WHAT?!”

HBomb jumped up a bit, owlishly blinking before slowly repeating, “Punz is setting up a honey shop for Dream SM…”

“No, I  _ heard _ you the first time, but who the  _ fuck _ gave him the right to use the VAPE Tower?!”

“It’s an empty tower, it’s not being used as anything…”

“It's a place of  _ worship _ .”

“No one uses it for worship.”

“It’s literally  _ on The Holy Land _ .”

“The Holy Land  _ is _ a district of Dream SMP.”

“Oh, that's just bull—”

Tubbo stood up and put a hand around Tommy’s shoulder, slightly squeezing it, ushering him to sit down, “Tommy, please, calm down. This is a meeting, not a debate.”

Tommy considered Tubbo for a second. Knowing Tommy, Fundy expected Tommy to lash out at Tubbo, asking him whose side he was on and stating that the whole ordeal was complete horseshit. But Tubbo simply stood his ground, maintaining a professional expression, only his eyes slightly pleading in Tommy’s direction, hoping he’d understand.

So Tommy took a deep breath, and sat back down.

Tubbo turned to HBomb, “H, do you think we could negotiate with Dream SMP to relinquish control over the Holy Land? Have it as a neutral territory? Tommy, Dream, Quackity, Sapnap, and I all worked together on it during a period of peace, and Tommy worked on the VAPE Tower all on his own. Surely we have the right to  _ some _ say as to what goes on in there.”

HBomb slowly nodded, “While I would’ve had to said no before, King George has shown interest in loosening tension between our nations, I’m sure I can present the case to him.”

Karl started to speak “If we’re doing that we could also—”

Quackity talked over him, “I mean, we gotta have a fortified, ungoverned neutral zone in case Techno—”

Tubbo raised a hand to Quackity, “Big Q, please, let Karl finish.”

He did.

Shyly, Karl continued, “If we make the Holy Land a neutral territory, we can expand it out into the forest beside Ponk’s Nether Forest, maybe we can set up a portal with a Nether highway out to Badlands? Build a road from New L’Manberg to The Holy Land, It can be a safe, neutral ground where everyone can just like, gather together, no one on anyone else’s land. It can even be used for like, a summit or something.”

Tubbo beamed, “That’s a smashing idea, Karl! Sam, do you think Badlands would be interested in creating a connecting line to the Holy Land?”

“Definitely, a place where no one will be stepping on anyone else’s toes is a better idea than not.”

“Excellent! Quackity, back to you.”

“Right, I was saying that we should have like, a place that’s neutral but lit up and unowned in case Techno decides to go rabid on one of us again. It can sort of be a sanctuary, a place where the three nations can meet up with the collective goal to keep Techno at bay.”

HBomb interjected, “I’m sure the chances of change would be higher if I had some sort of official request document, have it all in writing, you know.”

Tubbo nodded, “Absolutely, Sam, would you like to stay and have Badlands be a part of penning the request.”

“Yep, that sounds good.”

“Phil, do you think you can hang back and help write while I dictate?”

“Consider it done, mate.”

“Right, so I’ll have that request written up. I think it’s best if Puffy and HBomb went together with the request, have L’Manberg send their own representative as well. Does that settle the matter then?”

The question was open to the table, but Tubbo’s head was turned towards Tommy.

Tommy gave a small smile and nodded.

HBomb continued down his list, looking relieved. Meanwhile, Fundy stared in awe after experiencing his sixteen-year-old President flawlessly conduct the meeting away from an incoming crescendo.

_ I don't want to be the leader of a change, like you were. I don’t want to be the leader of a land, like Schlatt was. I want to be the leader of a people. _

On a pleasant spring day, Fundy skipped down the steps from his house, walking down New L’Manberg’s platform towards the residential area next to the Ninja Alley. He spotted Tubbo laughing along with Tommy, Thunder, and Purpled about god knows what. Fundy was in a pleasant mood, so he hastened his pace towards the group.

Tubbo looked over to where Fundy was coming from and grinned, raising his hand up high in a wave. 

“Foreman Fundy! How are you today?”

“Very well, very well! How about yourself Mister President?”

“Spectacular as always! Any plans for the day Big Man?”

“Not really, just enjoying the slow morning.”

“Those really  _ are _ the best kind of mornings, huh?”

“Couldn’t have said it better myself!”

The four of them continued to talk about everything and nothing at all. Soon later Niki and Eret began approaching them from the docks. Eret carried two boxes full of eggs, and Niki lugged a bag of sugar over her shoulder and dragged a bag of flour behind her. The two seemed to be carrying the ingredients for the Café from Niki’s old bakery, which had been refashioned into a cave-farm of sorts.

Eret moved to quickly drop the eggs off at the Camarvan Café to reduce the risk of them all falling and breaking. Niki, starting to lag behind him, gave the smallest wave she could muster to the group, making sure not to unbalance the sugar over her shoulder.

“Hello all! Beautiful day today isn’t it?”

Tubbo laughed, “Absolutely! Do you need any help with that Ni—”

Niki suddenly let out a yelp as she tripped over a stone, completely thrown off balance by the two heavy bags she was transporting. 

Tubbo rushed over to her and caught her from the front before she face planted on the ground. Carefully pushing her back up and stealing the bag of sugar off her shoulder.

“You really have to be careful Niki! We can’t have you breaking bones before the hospital is finished!”—Niki giggled at that—“You focus on the flour, I’ll take care of the sugar.”

“Oh, Tubbo! You really don't have to—”

But Tubbo had already turned around and started power walking up the stairs to the platform, “You better keep up Niki! Otherwise, me  _ and _ Eret will have beaten you to your own Café!”

Niki laughed, “Hey, no! Wait up!” 

The two briefly disappeared up the platform to the Café, giggling the whole way there.

The group proceeded to hang out under the spruce and oak trees that surrounded them. Fundy enjoyed the spring breeze on his face, sounds of the ocean crashing on the docks to the left of him. Listening to the pleasant chatter of the conversation in front of him. Karl and Sapnap soon joined them, Karl with a piece of paper scrunched in his fist, energy practically bursting out of him as he bounced on the balls of his feet once reaching the group.

“Hey guys! Do you know if Tubbo’s around here?”

A voice called out from behind, “Hello Karl! How’s it going?”

Karl whirled around to see Tubbo coming back down the platform from the café, alongside Niki and Eret.

“Hey Mister Pres! I had a crazy idea! Could I show you? If you’re not too busy with any other projects, though I’d be the main person working on it so you wouldn’t be too low on manpower, Sapnap might help though, maybe also Quack—”

Tubbo laughed, “Of course Karl! It's no problem! Show me what you’ve got.”

Karl giggled with glee, “Alright, so you’ve heard of Party Island? Well now, get ready for”—Karl unfurled the paper in his hand, making sure it was clearly facing Tubbo— "Party Platform!”

Karl proceeded to go on a spiel to the whole group of how he could make a new platform connecting to the main New L’Manberg platform overtop the current Party Island, that could then also have a ladder going down to Party Island for ‘Multistory Party Madness’. Tubbo listened intently, starting to talk out loud as he calculated how much funding the project would need. He took out a small book and quill from his coat pocket and attempted to take notes on the materials that Karl would need and who/where he’d need to get them from.

(Fundy offered to take charge of the notes, Tubbo was grateful.)

Tubbo perked up, “Hey! If you’re able to finish this within the next month, we can hold a celebration on the day marking 6-months since the crater, and have it on your Party Platform, Karl!”

There was a general whoop of excitement amongst the group, they moved themselves up the platform and into the Camarvan Café, as New L’Manberg gathered around and began to plan out the Party for Karl’s Platform.

Amongst the various suggestions, Fundy piped up.

“Tubbo, do you think I could make a song out of note blocks? Like the one I made at our Jungle Base.”

Tubbo looked over at Fundy, his gleeful expression melting into a small, nostalgic smile.

“That would be lovely, Fundy.”

_ The thing is, when I first ran against you, yes it was out of spite, but it was also because I thought being in a position of power would be fun. It would be fun to order people around, and get them to do what I want. But the thing I’ve learned from not only the bitter end of Schlatt’s reign, but of Eret’s reign as well, is that there's no fun in power if you’ve got no one to show. No one liking you enough to stay under your rule, until everyone turns against you and realizing that the power you wield is only as powerful as the people you rule decide it is. _

_ I want— _

There's a knocking at Fundy’s door. 

He sits up as if struck by lightning, whirling around to face the door that had pulled him out of the letter he had spent the past few night hours engrossed in writing. The idea of who was behind the door made his stomach do a summersault, he felt trapped and afraid and nauseous and—

A quiet, young voice spoke from behind the door, “Fundy?”

He sighed in relief, all anxieties draining from him. He quickly shoved the letter and ink into his table drawer and turned around in his seat to fully face the door.

“Come in, Tubbo!”

The door opened as the short figure let himself in.

“Hey there, Big Man! How was your day.”

Fundy hesitantly nodded, looking away, “Pretty good, pretty decent. What about yourself?”

“Oh you know, the same old hustle and bustle. Everyone’s excited about the party tomorrow.”

“I can imagine, I can’t believe it’s already been six months.”

Tubbo smiled, “I guess time really does fly when you’re having fun, even  _ if _ the fun is rebuilding a city from ruins.”

Fundy gave a soft chuckle.

Tubbo cleared his throat, “I saw you kind of jog back home from your walk, you looked… frazzled... You alright?”

Fundy opened his mouth to start a story, a false narrative of boldly running away from a swarm of creepers and zombies, maybe even throwing in a spider-jockey or two. But then he looked out at New L’Manberg through his window. A thriving nation that had gone through so much.

This news was important, and though telling it may hurt Tubbo, Fundy had a feeling it’d hurt Tubbo more if something disastrous were to happen because Fundy kept such significant information from him.

“I’m pretty sure my Dad’s still alive.”

There was silence, Tubbo’s eyes widened but… not in shock, but worry and...guilt? Tubbo turned to look out the same window Fundy had, taking in a long, shaky breath. Holding it.

“I know.”

What?

“What?”

“I’ve known… for quite a long time… that Wilbur wasn’t dead. He came to me the night after everything went to shit, right after I parted with you and Quackity.”

What the fuck?

Tubbo took another deep breath, leaning his back on the wall, facing Fundy but not looking him in the eyes, opting to look just above him.

“I know… I know I _should’ve_ told you. At least _you_ of all people. But… you were in mourning and everyone was still feeling hurt and betrayed and”—he started talking faster— "and I was still injured because of _fucking Techno_ , and I had been trying to control the _goddamn crater_ _Wilbur had made_. 

And… and I just had to try and ignore it and hope nothing came of it too soon because if I brought it up and focused on it for just long enough I  _ knew _ I’d just completely crumble and be a completely useless leader,  _ especially  _ after what he said and I just… 

I couldn’t risk losing L’Manberg, I couldn’t risk becoming the next deranged President.”

By now Tubbo had slid down the wall in front of where Fundy sat, curling in on himself, elbows resting on his knees, and palms digging themselves into his eyes.

“I’m so, so sorry I didn’t tell you Fundy. I promise I never had ill intentions, I just wanted to make sure everyone was secure.”

Fundy breathed,

And processed,

And breathed,

And processed.

_ ‘...especially after what he said…’ _

“What did he say?”

Tubbo lifted his head from his hands, looking out in the blank space in front of him with an expression of fear and disgust.

“He was trying to apologize and support me, in his own, fucked up way. Said he was sorry for ruining my induction, said he’d never meant to blow up  _ my _ L’Manberg…”

A pause,

“He meant to blow up Tommy’s.”

Jesus Christ, his father was just… completely psychotic.

“That's why you kept pushing Tommy so hard to come live in L’Manberg. Because you knew that as long as Dream had the disks, he’d have no reason to target and attack Tommy  _ specifically _ unprovoked.

You weren’t scared of Dream SMP, you were scared of Wilbur.”

Tubbo slowly nodded, “Terrified.”

“Do you think Wilbur would really come and destroy L’Manberg all over again? I mean, he wanted to put L’Manberg in a crater it could never come back from… we kinda made sure he failed at that.”

“The thing is, I think we’ve proven to Wilbur that him destroying L’Manberg, even if it goes down to bedrock, will just be retaliated with rebuilding. I’m not worried about Wilbur’s war on L’Manberg anymore. I’m worried about what he’ll do… or who he’ll hurt… just to spite Tommy.

Either way, tomorrow's a day of celebration, and we’ve had a horrible track record with those”—Tubbo gave a humorless laugh— "if something happens, it’ll be on my watch…It’ll be my fault.”

Fundy knelt down to Tubbo’s level, “You know that no matter what happens, as long as we’re all together, nothing will be able to tear us down, especially with you leading us.”

Tubbo looked Fundy dead in the eye, “I stepped onto the podium, not President, I stepped off of the podium as President, and not even 10 minutes later there was a giant crater in L’Manberg.”

“And you know what, maybe tomorrow there’ll be another, even deeper crater in L’Manberg! Maybe it’ll be filled with lava and withers, and have the Nether itself spilling out of it. No matter what, the people of L’Manberg love you, Tubbo. They stand behind you, your cabinet stands behind you, through hell and high water. We’ll have your back no matter what.”

“...Really?”

“I promise.”

He did, from the bottom of his heart.

“Eret, Purpled, and Phil are our best fighters. I’ll tell them to stay alert and ready during the party tomorrow, in case of any ‘security risks’. I’ll have my armor on me, you’ll have yours. If shit goes down, we’ll be ready. But until it does, tomorrow is a night of celebration, and we’re gonna be so loud they’ll hear us from the Nether”

Tubbo laughed softly at the idea, but sobered quickly.

“No telling Tommy.”

Fundy nodded, “No telling Tommy. Just loosen up, party hard, and trust in your people, just as they trust in you. Tomorrow’s party is just as much of a celebration for you as it is for New L’manberg. It wouldn’t even be half of what it is without you, you’ve got a lot to be proud of, Big Man.”

Tubbo smiled, “Thank you, Fundy.”

“Any time, Mister President.”

They both stood up, Fundy pulled Tubbo in for a quick but genuine hug, and watched as Tubbo left out his door towards the White House. With a sigh, he sat back down on his chair, thinking for a second, before pulling his letter out and continuing.

_ I want to learn how to be a President that is worthy of his people’s trust. So that in my time of need, I’ll know they’ll be by my side. I’ll know that they believe in me. That’s something you were never able to establish, that’s something Schlatt was never able to achieve. _

Just before sunrise, Fundy snuck out of his house and through the neighboring forest. Carefully trekking through it until coming up to the back end of The Holy Land. From there he swiftly sprinted through the Holy Land and across the Prime Path, straight through Tubbo’s old tree farm, and pressed his back up against the stone wall of the entrance that enclosed the Camarvan copy. 

He placed a chest right at the edge of the entryway, far away enough that anyone inside the Camarvan wouldn’t be able to notice the chest being placed, but close enough that there was no missing it upon leaving the Camarvan. With that, he made sure he wasn’t spotted, and ran back home.

* * *

The party that evening was a bash if Fundy had ever seen one. The party platform was spectacular, the decorations were immaculate thanks to Karl and his party crew, and the food made by Niki and Eret was to die for. Nearly everyone from the land was there. All of L’Manberg was attending, as was all of Badlands. Sapnap, Punz, and Ponk were all there as well.

Hell, even King George himself was there.

People were dancing and singing and laughing and playing. Jukeboxes sounded music up to the heavens. Fundy, Tubbo, Eret, Purpled, and Phil were all wearing armor under their party wear, keeping alert but enjoying the party all the same. __

Fundy was going into the Camarvan café to help Niki and Eret bring out more food for the party when he looked out the window to have his heart suddenly drop. Keeping a composed mannerism, Fundy set the food he’d collected out to the party, and calmly made his way to an empty platform opposite to where Karl’s party platform was, looking out to the lake next to New L’Manberg. 

He looked out and saw a tall figure on the mountain looking over that very lake. Dressed in a yellow sweater and blue denim jeans. The figure had his hands in the jean pockets as a familiar brown trench coat was draped over his shoulders. Brown, curly hair open and blowing up with the wind.

(There was a slightly shorter, more stockier figure about ten meters behind him. Obviously making an effort to maintain some semblance of stealth, though the taller figure’s determination to stand dramatically at the edge of the mountainside was making it very hard to not be seen.)

Fundy stared straight at the tall figure, it  longingly stared right back.

“Fundy!” 

He whirled around behind him to see Tubbo calling for him from the main platform.

“Everything alright Big Man?”

Fundy whirled back around to see that while the taller figure had probably wanted to mysteriously vanish into the darkness, his trenchcoat wasn’t doing him any favors as it waved with the wind, revealing itself slightly from behind a tree.

Fundy turned towards Tubbo, positioning himself in a way that he prayed put himself between Tubbo and that stupid figure behind the tree. 

“Yeah, just taking in the view is all. Just kind of… in awe of everything we’ve done.” He gestured out to New L’Manberg as a whole.

Tubbo gave him a warm smile, “Everyone is hyped to see your new note block creation! A majority of them haven’t even seen the first one you made. They’re all going to be dumbfounded, I just know it! Will you be long?”

“I’ll be right there, I promise.”

“Awesome.”

Fundy watched as Tubbo turned and walked back towards the party. 

Fundy looked back at the figure, who had brought himself to stand at the side of the tree he had been hiding behind, still looking out at Fundy.

Fundy flipped him off.

Turning around, Fundy ran up to the main platform and caught up with his President, ready to amaze. 

_ I still have a lot I want to learn before even thinking of taking up office, Dad. _

_ And I know exactly who’s gonna teach me. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter, and a long one! With a call back to Wilbur and Tubbo the day after the war, Fundy saying F-You to his dad and following a real President, and a happy ending all round. :)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! Again, this is my first fic in this fandom, and my first finished fic... ever... So do tell me if you liked it or if it was shit. 
> 
> Thanks again!


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